Humidity is low, winds are picking up, and the snowpack is rapidly retreating, making fields and forests in the southern half of the state vulnerable to fire, officials said.
And that danger should remain for this week, with forecasts showing no precipitation at least until Sunday.
“We need some rain, and we need stuff to green up. That will make a big difference,” said New Hampshire Fire Marshal Sean Toomey. The National Weather Service has issued a warning for an elevated danger of fire for much of the state.
Brush fires are even taking place in the state’s largest city. As of mid-afternoon Tuesday, the Manchester Fire Department logged five outdoor fires, according to the department’s online activity log.
On Monday, the fire department logged four outdoor fires, including one behind Hillside Middle School that taxed the ability of the department to battle an apartment building fire Monday evening.
Also Monday, an elderly Chester man died shortly after an outdoor fire on his property, Toomey said. The Chester Fire Department extinguished a fire sparked by fireworks on the man’s property. He went inside his house and died shortly afterward, though Toomey said the fire did not appear to be a factor.
“We’ve got tinder-dry fields out there. Any time you get a stretch of weather with low relative humidity and the winds pick up, we’re going to have fires that get out of control,” said Steven Sherman, chief of the New Hampshire Forest Protection Bureau.
The biggest risk for brush fires comes in the afternoon, he said.
On Saturday, forest rangers started manning many of the state’s 15 fire towers, he said. On Tuesday, the Forest Protection Bureau rated fire danger as high from the Lakes Region south.
Northern areas were under a moderate danger.
With snowpack in much of the state vanishing, Sherman emphasized that anyone who wants to light an outdoor fire — including brush piles, campfires or bonfires — must have a burn permit. State law requires a permit whenever snowpack is not present.
Burn permits are available through local fire department or www.nhfirepermit.com. But most towns won’t issue permits during high danger conditions, he said.
“This is the worst time of the year to do that,” Sherman said.
Brush-pile fires are the leading cause of uncontrolled brush fires. Other causes include smoking materials and campfires, Sherman said.
Sherman said mud season still exists in part of the state. Even through brush is dry and susceptible to fire, the ground can be muddy, which hampers fire department vehicles from reaching a fire.
Source : Union Leader
